So far in this Online Book we have covered the basic theory. Now let's look at, and quantify, what will happen if we just stick with the electrical system installed on most boats. After all, if we are going to improve things, it's as well to know what the payoff will be.
About eight years ago, we switched to Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) batteries on Morgan’s Cloud, to get the following benefits over liquid filled lead-acid batteries:
- Shorter recharge times since AGM batteries accept a faster charge rate.
- About 10% more capacity in the same size battery.
However, our experience was not good: We went through four sets of house batteries from two different manufacturers.
In the process of solving that problem, we learnt a huge amount that can be applied to the care of any lead acid battery. Read on:
